Fluid-current motor



P. REINBERGER. FLUID CURRENT MOTOR. APPLICATION FILED OCT '15. 1921.

' Patented Aug.-29, 1922.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

INVENTOR P. REINBERGER.

FLUID CURRENT MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED 00115.1921.

1,427,124. n dAfig.29,1922.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

INVENZ'OR as a a it prep a an H at a PAUL REINBERGER, 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO.

FLUID-CURRENT ll/IOTOR.

Application filed October 15, 1921.

T 0 aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that 1, PAUL Itnmnnnenn, a

subject of the Government of Slavonia, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in fluid Current Motors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to fluid current motors, particularly adapted and intended for the purpose of utilizing the flow in a stream for the generation of power which may be translated into electrical energy. The structure also includes means for causing a slow propulsion of the motor in the direction contrary to the current.

Speaking generally the device comprises a belt extending around a frame and carrying paddles which are acted on by the current, the frame being supported by means of boats or floats, and capable of being raised or lowered to vary the depth at which it is carried.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a plan of the motor. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section thereof just inside one of the floats. Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line 33 of Fig. 2. Fio, a is a plan of one of the paddles.

t should be understood that a device of the character contemplated will be rather large in size, possibly seventy-five to one hundred feet long, and with other dimen sions depending upon the size of the stream and the strength of its current.

In the drawings, 6 indicates a pair of boats or floats, connected together by cross beams or trusses 8 and 9 at the front and rear and another at 10 in the middle. The motor structure is supported between these floats, and the bows of the floats may be inclined toward the channel therebetween, as indicated at 11, to direct the flow toward the paddles.

A triangular frame is shown, consisting of upper horizontal beams 12, lower inclined beams 13 and rear upright beams 14:, these beams being braced by struts and trusses in dicated at 15 and cross bars 16.

Around this frame extends a pair of chain belts 17, which run over rollers 18 mounted on shafts 19 extending between the beams 12 and 13 of the frame, so that the chains have a top longitudinal run forwardly, then an inclined run backwardly and downwardly, and then a vertical run upwardly at the rear. The paddles are pivotally connected to the Specification of Letters ?atent.

Patented Ari 29, 1922.

Serial no. 507,810.

chains as indicated at 20, and each paddle consists of an inner section 21 and an outer section 22, the latter being hinged to the former as indicated at 23, the arrangement bemg such that the'paddles will fold somewhat as they pass rearwardly along the bed of the stream, as shown in Fig. 2 and will also swing down toward the chain when they are passing the vertical and horizontal runs. Ropes 24: serve to stop the swing backwardly of the paddles and hold them extended from the lower run of the chain in position to receive the force of the current. Each paddle is also provided with downwardly projecting teeth 25 and rearwardly projecting spurs 26 which in the operation of the device will act to scrape and diginto the bed of the stream and so assist in dislodging material which will be carried off by the current, thereby deepening the stream. At its front end the chain belts pass over sprockets 27 mounted on a shaft 28 which extends across between the floats 6 being mounted in bearings 29 thereon, and this shaft 28 supports the front end of the frame and the parts carried thereby. A gear 3Q, mounted on the shaft 28, meshes with a pinion 31 on a counter shaft 32 mounted on the frame, and this shaft 32 has a gear 33 meshing with a pinion 34: on the shaft 35 of an electric generator 36, from which the current may be conducted by any suitable devices. As the chain is driven around the frame it will through the gearing described operate the generator for the purposes referred to.

At the bottom of the frame the chains pass around idle sprockets 40 which turn on a cross shaft 11, and at the top they pass around sprockets 42 which are keyed on a shaft as which is supported in bearings on the frame, this shaft l3 carries, at its opposite ends, sprockets 4 1 which are connected by chains d5 to sprockets 4E6 keyed on a cross shaft a? which carries small sprockets 48 connected by chains 49 to large sprockets 5O keyed to the ends of the lower shaft 4-1, above referred to, and this shaft also carries a pair of ground engaging wheels 51.

As the chain travels around the triangular frame, it drives the shaft 43, and by means of the belt and sprocket connections just described the shaft 41 is driven at a reduced speed in such direction that the wheels 51, engaging in the bed of the stream will act to propel the whole structure forwardly at a reduced speed against the current so that the paddles 22 will effect a digging or dredging action on the bed of the stream as the structure is forced forwardly.

By means of a motor 60, mounted on one ofthe floats, and geared to a drum 61 extending across the channel between the floats, and connected by cables 62 to the frame below, said frame and the parts car ried thereby may be lifted clear of the ground, and in this event, the boats can be anchored in set position and the device will operate asa motor, the frame being lifted high enough to permit the paddles to clear he gr nd s y pass, around.

I claim: p A motor compr sing a pair of floats with a passage between, a triangular frame pivoted at its front end in said passage, and chain belts carrying paddles, traveling around said frame, said paddles comprising hinged. sections permitting the paddles to fold upon contact with the ground, the outer sections of the paddles being provided with teeth to dig into the bed of a stream.

In testimony whereof I affix my signatur in, presence of two witnesses. i i

PAUL REINBERGER.

Witnesses: i

J OHN A. BOMMHARDT,

Bnssln F. POLLAK. 

